Vitality County Championship: Nathan Lyon Outshines Ben Stokes as Lancashire Take Control
On day two of the Vitality County Championship Division One fixture at Blackpool, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon outperformed England Test captain Ben Stokes in their latest duel. The two cricketing stalwarts have engaged in several captivating contests over the years during the Ashes, and their clash was the highlight of the day’s play.
In his first innings in two months, Stokes managed a measured 2 runs off 16 deliveries before falling to Lyon, who has dismissed him 9 times in Test matches. Stokes played back to a ball that gripped and turned, taking his outside edge, with Tom Bruce taking a low catch at second slip. Lyon finished with impressive figures of 4-59, while Tom Aspinwall claimed a maiden 5-wicket haul, restricting Durham to 236 in response to Lancashire’s 357.
“Stokes played back to a ball that gripped and turned, taking his outside edge, with Tom Bruce taking a low catch at second slip.”
Stokes claimed a wicket in his first over, dismissing Luke Wells, but bottom-of-the-table Lancashire closed the day on 91-2, with a substantial 212-run lead, as they pursue their first win of the campaign.
Elsewhere in the County Championship
- Zak Crawley fell for a golden duck for Kent, while their teammate Jack Leach, returning from knee surgery, took a couple of wickets to put Somerset in the ascendancy at Taunton.
- Dan Worrall’s 6-22 and impressive batting performances from Rory Burns, Jamie Smith, Dan Lawrence, and Jordan Clark gave Surrey a commanding 427-run lead against Worcestershire at the Kia Oval.
- Olly Stone’s 4-62 for Nottinghamshire and Liam Dawson’s unbeaten 95 and Keith Barker’s 74 for Hampshire resulted in a tight tussle at Trent Bridge.
- Warwickshire’s Che Simmons, on debut, produced a stellar spell to rip through Essex’s middle-order at Chelmsford.
Division Two Highlights
- Gloucestershire set a new club record, amassing 706-6 declared at Grace Road, before reducing Leicestershire to 133-5.
- Tom Alsop’s unbeaten 77 pushed Sussex into a 149-run lead against Yorkshire at Hove.
- Mark Stoneman’s 129 and Rob Keogh’s 102 were the highlights of the day’s play for Middlesex and Northamptonshire, respectively.
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